Anarkalli Aakarsha Jayatilaka




 (born July 11, 1987) is an award winning Sri Lankan film and teledrama actress, model,singer, TV presenter and a politician. She was crowned Miss Sri Lanka 2004 and represented Sri Lanka at the Miss World 2004 beauty pageant. She has worked as a brand ambassador & a fundraiser.^[1] She attended Colombo International School.

Film career

Her first public opportunity to act came when Somaratne Dissanayake and Renuka Balasuriya, who directed and produced the teledrama Iti Pahan in 1995, were in search of a little girl who was fluent in English. In the drama, she performed the role of "Daisy Susan" beside renowned actress Vasanthi Chaturani.^[2]

After a nearly seven year hiatus, she returned to acting in 2003 when, at 15, she was cast in a lead role in Pissu Trible.^[3] Subsequently, she performed in several successful movies, and received acclaim in teledrama performances with her roles as "Inoka" in Sihinayak Paata Paatin and 'Tanya' in Santhuwaranaya.^[4]

She is the youngest actress to date in the history of Sri Lankan Cinema to win the most popular actress award.^[5] She has acted as the leading lady in more than 22 movies and 10 teledramas. She also works as a model, brand ambassador and a presenter.^[6]

She has appeared in many music videos. Some of her famous music videos are "Meedum selen" by Bathiya and Santhush, "Jeththu none" by Dushanth Weeraman and "Siththamak wage" by Yashan.

[edit]Political career

Anarkalli briefly served as a coordinating secretary of the Minister of Foreign Affairs.^[7] She will contest for the Galle District for upcoming Southern Provincial Council Election, says the United People's Freedom Alliance(UPFA) General Secretary.^[8] On 29 October 2009, she was elected to the Southern Province Council. She is the youngest female councillor to date, and the sole female member on the Council.^{[citation needed]}

[edit]Career as a host

Anarkali hosted her own TV show 'Anarkali Live' on TV Dearana.^[9] She also hosted Dearana Music Awards 2010.

[edit]Filmography

Year	Film	Role	Other notes
2003	Pissu Trible
2003	Eka Malaka Pethi
2003	One Shot	Minister's daughter
2004	Dhana Rina
2005	Hiri Poda Wessa	Veena
2005	Sonduru Wasanthaya
2006	Anjalika	Kavya
2008	Tharuka Mal
2009	Sikuru Hathe
2009	Sir Last Chance
2011	King Hunther	Bisawa/Morrine
2011	It's a Matter of Love	Natasha

[edit]Teledramas

Year	Film	Role	Other notes
1995	Iti Pahan	Daisy Susan
2004	Sihinayak Paata Paatin	Inoka
	Sapphire and Silk	Tanya
	Isi Dasuna
2005	Arunodaya Kalapaya
2006	Santhuwaranaya	Tanya
2009	Sanda Sakki
2010	Ran Thaliya Walauwa	Dosatara nona